As modern warfare continues to evolve, armies must become increasingly mobile within their intended theaters of action. Various combat supporting operations, such as resupply functions, medical operations, or command and control functions must also become more mobile in order to service combat units. Consistent with the changes in modern warfare, the U.S. Army has recognized the utility of mobile work stations in the form of expandable trailers or expandable enclosures that can be easily transported and deployed as work centers for a crew of several persons. An expandable trailer is particularly adaptable for a mobile battlefield command and control center where such tasks as communications, control of unmanned vehicles, threat detection or electronic countermeasures could be performed. A mobile trailer could also provide housings or work areas for the previously mentioned support functions, as well as other support functions, such as mobile kitchens or battlefield repair sites.
I have designed a structure suitable and useful for an expandable trailer or mobile enclosure wherein an expansion unit deploys from either side of a trailer or mobile enclosure. Each expansion unit includes parallel racks by which the expansion units are translatably mounted to complimentary gears in the trailer or enclosure. The expansion unit has an opposed pair of panels, each panel comprising a set of uprights disposed between the parallel racks, one upright being fixed to the racks so that the one upright and the racks form part of the expansion unit's frame. The panels each include a linkage to control the relative movement between the uprights and include a flexible, accordion-like outer wall whose expansion or contraction is governed by the uprights and linkage.